The Merchants Fund Stabilization Grant

Square Financial Services, Inc. and Square Banking are investing where traditional banks don’t. The Cornerstone Grant offers more than just money — it provides mentorship, visibility, and resources for small business owners who face barriers to funding. Four winners will receive a $10,000 grant, one year of financial guidance, and features across Square’s platforms.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) encourages applications for investigator-initiated mid-phase clinical trials of natural products(i.e., botanicals, dietary supplements, and probiotics), which have a strong scientific premise to justify further clinical testing. For this NOFO, natural products include promising nutritional regimens that standardize the amount of a specific naturally occurring nutritional compound (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids, anthocyanidins, or polyphenols) and have compelling preliminary evidence. All applications submitted under this NOFO must be supported by sufficient preliminary data demonstrating bioavailability (if applicable) and documentation that the natural product produces a reproducible and measurable impact on target engagement (i.e., measure of the mechanism of action). Only in cases when it is not possible/practical to measure target engagement in the patient population of interest or when there is a fundamental understanding of the products mechanism of action will this preliminary data requirement be waived. Applications submitted to this NOFO should propose a mid-phase clinical trial to do the following: determine the optimal dose or formulation of a given natural product for use in a future multi-site efficacy trial; or determine which patient phenotypes will be responders versus non-responders to the natural product to inform inclusion/exclusion criteria of a future efficacy trial. Clinical trials submitted under this NOFO are expected to be hypothesis based, milestone-driven, and directly related to the research priorities and mission of NCCIH. This NOFO will not support single-site or multi-site efficacy or effectiveness trials, nor will it support trials to test natural products for the treatment or prevention of cancer. Applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate NCCIH Scientific/Research contact for the area of science for which they are planning to develop an application prior to submitting to this NO

The Dunn County Small Business Development Grant Program will offer eligible businesses up to $10,000 of funding to continue growing their operations and become more efficient. The grant funding can be used to access technical assistance through organizations like Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council and the Center for Innovation and Development at the University of Wisconsin Stout, help startups cover the cost of commercial space, and to match funding granted through other Economic Development Loan Fund Programs like the Revolving Loan Fund or Regional Business Fund.

The SBA Patriot Pitch Competition awards a $1 million cash prize pool to small businesses across the United States as part of the Freedom 250 celebration of 250 years of American free enterprise. Administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) with prize funding donated by Clover Network, Inc., the competition is a national pitch contest designed to spotlight small businesses driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth. Eligibility is limited to small businesses that have utilized qualifying SBA capital products (including 7(a) loans, PPP loans, 504 loans, microloans, and certain disaster loans), that meet the SBA's definition of a small business, and that have at least $100,000 of annual revenue. Individual applicants and team members must be U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age at the time of submission. Submissions are evaluated across four stages of judging panels that assess each business on factors such as innovation, demonstrated growth, job creation, and domestic production, with the top ten semifinalists narrowed down to five finalists who pitch live before judges and a national audience at a finals event in Washington, D.C. In addition to the cash prize, the finals feature a supplier matchmaking expo connecting small businesses with larger corporate buyers and government contracting opportunities, alongside networking with investors, industry leaders, and policymakers. Finalists are responsible for their own travel costs to the live competition.

The Workplace Accessibility Grant offers financial assistance to local businesses making necessary workplace modifications for employees with disabilities. Grant funds can be used for physical modifications (e.g., ramps, accessible restrooms), assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers, ergonomic keyboards), flexible work arrangements (e.g., telework technology), and communication tools (e.g., Braille materials).